What happens when belonging becomes a hierarchy?

In this episode, Hostion and Andrea unpack the viral Wasian Meetup that took social media by storm — a gathering organized by Half Asian Spring for mixed white-Asian individuals during AAPI Heritage Month. On the surface, it looks like community-building. But beneath it, a more complicated story emerges about colorism, racial desirability, and who gets to belong.

Drawing on scholars and activists, they explore what ethnic studies can actually tell us about mixed-race identity, affinity spaces, and racial hierarchy. Why did so many people react to this meetup with discomfort? And what does that reaction reveal about how we navigate race, power, and proximity to whiteness — right now, in North America?

The conversation is warm, honest, and genuinely curious. Together they ask the kind of questions that stick with you long after the episode ends.

This one's for the mixed kids, the margin-dwellers, the belonging-seekers along with anyone who cares about building communities where more people actually feel seen.

Content note: This episode discusses race, colourism, colonialism, and the politics of identity.

Go to https://www.canadiansalad.ca/ for all sources cited in this episode.

And please refer us to your friends, family and that racist uncle that just doesn't get it.

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Theme music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay.

A Janklin Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever been told to chew with your mouth closed? What if that rule was considered rude in another country?

In this episode of Canadian Salad, Hostion and Andrea go around the world to unpack the surprising, funny, and deeply human world of dining etiquette. They explore why burping is a compliment at the dinner table in parts of Asia and the Middle East, how slurping noodles in Japan is practically a love language, and why chugging wine in Georgia (the country, not the state) is an act of honour.

But it goes deeper than just food noises. The duo unpacks how Western "good manners" developed from classism, how the disorder misophonia is showing up in unexpected ways, and why letting people eat with joy — loudly — might be one of the most culturally intelligent things you can do.

Plus: a Canadian food trivia quiz that reveals what cuisine Canadians really love (hint: it might surprise you), and a spicy fact about Portugal that will make you think twice before reaching for the salt shaker.

Funny, educational, and a little bit messy — just like the best meals.

Go to https://www.canadiansalad.ca/ for all sources cited in this episode.

And please refer us to your friends, family and that racist uncle that just doesn't get it.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or BlueSky.

Theme music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay.

A Janklin Production.

Keywords: cultural intelligence, dining etiquette, food culture, misophonia, cross-cultural, table manners, classism, Asian food culture, relational leadership, world cultures

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does love actually look like when words aren't the primary language?

In this episode of Canadian Salad, Andrea and Hostion dig into one of their favourite frameworks — love languages — but through the lens of Asian culture and heritage in honour of Asian Heritage Month. They explore why acts of service and food are often the dominant expressions of care in many Asian households, why verbal affirmation can feel hollow or even suspicious in certain cultural contexts, and how saying "have you eaten?" is so much more than small talk.

They get personal too — sharing real stories of cultural misunderstandings, the generational gap between immigrant parents and their kids, and what happens when two people are speaking completely different emotional dialects. The conversation also ventures into business relationships, lateral violence, and the beautiful challenge of learning new love languages without abandoning where you came from.

Warm, funny, and genuinely insightful — this one's for anyone who's ever felt loved through a plate of food, a quiet act of care, or a comment about their weight that somehow meant "I see you."

Go to https://www.canadiansalad.ca/ for all sources cited in this episode.

And please refer us to your friends, family and that racist uncle that just doesn't get it.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or BlueSky.

Theme music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay.

A Janklin Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this unplanned, candid episode of Canadian Salad, your hosts ditch the research and get real. We're talking about the small, everyday moments that carry us through hard times — from cooking a meal that tastes like home, to the way wind makes leaves sound like paper smacking together, to why a crow chiming in at just the right moment might be the universe agreeing with you.

We also get into the big stuff: why joy that arrives fast disappears just as fast, how the ancient Chinese saying about love letters speaks to an ancient wisdom we've always known, and how our phones are quietly stealing the curiosity that makes life feel magical.

Whether you're going through a hard season or just need a reminder to look up from your screen — this one's for you.

Grab your coffee (or your tea, no judgment), press play, and let's find some joy together.

Go to https://www.canadiansalad.ca/ for all sources cited in this episode.

And please refer us to your friends, family and that racist uncle that just doesn't get it.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or BlueSky.

Theme music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay.

A Janklin Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Thanks for coming back to part two of our deep dive into hierarchy and equality.

Last episode, we challenged Canada’s egalitarian defaults.

This week, we ask: can hierarchy actually be good?

Andrea and Hostion explore three cultural models that say yes—Daoist philosophy, where power is energy negotiated rather than dominated; Confucian teachings, where the master’s goal is for the student to surpass them; and Coast Salish traditions, where hierarchy is a web of reciprocal responsibilities and wealth is shared through potlatch, not hoarded.

They land on a powerful idea: equality is a state of mind—and sometimes honouring someone’s hierarchy is the most equal thing you can do.

Plus, stay tune for two quiz questions to test what you know about financial literacy and organizational structures.

Go to https://www.canadiansalad.ca/ for all sources cited in this episode.

And please refer us to your friends, family and that racist uncle that just doesn't get it.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or BlueSky.

Theme music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay.

A Janklin Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does hierarchy really mean — and why does it make some of us uncomfortable?

In the first episode of this two-part series, hosts Hostion and Andrea unpack one of the most complex cultural dynamics in the modern world: hierarchy versus egalitarianism. Drawing from their own lived experiences — growing up in military and evangelical Christian households, navigating school systems in China, and working in diverse professional environments — they explore how differently people around the world understand power, authority, and equality.

From Japan's workplace customs to Canada's "open door policy" culture, from Himalayan mountain climbing research to the case for flattening (or not flattening) the org chart — this episode is equal parts personal, philosophical, and practical.

Part 2 drops next week with the big question: Can hierarchy and equality actually coexist?

Subscribe now so you don't miss it.

Go to https://www.canadiansalad.ca/ for all sources cited in this episode.

And please refer us to your friends, family and that racist uncle that just doesn't get it.

Follow us on Instagram, TikTok or BlueSky.

Theme music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay.

A Janklin Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Be honest - when someone asks how you are, do you actually tell them the truth?

In this episode of Canadian Salad, Hostion and Andrea get real about one of the most universal little lies we tell every day: "I'm okay." They unpack the psychology behind emotional suppression, explore how culture and gender shape what we're "allowed" to feel, and ask the bigger question — what does it cost us when pretending becomes a habit?

From the concept of "saving face" in Asian cultures, to how men and women navigate emotional expression differently, to what actually happens to your body when you suppress big feelings — this one hits close to home. Plus, don't miss their Canadian Salad Pop Quiz on small talk and the surprising origin story of the word "okay" itself.

A warm, funny, and thought-provoking conversation — because sometimes the most radical thing you can do is just tell someone how you really feel.

Go to https://www.canadiansalad.ca/ for all sources cited in this episode. And please refer us to your friends, family and that racist uncle that just doesn't get it.

Follow us on Instagram.

Theme music by Nver Avetyan from Pixabay.

A Janklin Production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Canada deported 22,000 people last year. Immigrants are leaving at the highest rates since 1971. And the ministries meant to support them? Gutted.

In this episode, Andrea and Hostion get into the real cost of making immigrants the problem — from record deportations and Bill C-12's sweeping new powers, to the human stories of people who did everything right and still got left behind.

Spoiler: when you push out your workforce, your doctors, and your business owners, everyone pays the price.

The math just don't math, Canada. 🍁

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.